Sadly I do not own one of Quincy's scores and I can't recall one of his themes or music... I saw him sitting between all the other composers (bernstein, goldsmith, zimmer, williams,...) on that two page photograph featuring composers and my first thought was 'What the hell is Quincy Jones doing there?'.

I knew he was a song writer but I had little knowledge of his film scoring.

Now there's another monumental Mona Lisa cosmic question for the musical ages, Scores. We suspect even his own esteemed self

would be gobsmacked in coming up with anything approaching an authoritative answer. His range - as befits the demanding discipline all composers of film face - necessitated a wide variety of both approaches and rich results (varying, of course, with whatever projects he happened to be engaged upon).

We avoid comparing him to anyone else's evolved style as it'd do those in comparison as well as him a severe disservice.

Others might be able to offer a more helpful and enlightened spin on this angle (and if they can, the invitation's always open to please do so) but all we'll say is, like every other composer,

Quincy Jones has distinguished himself as a bandleader, a solo artist, a sideman, a songwriter, a producer, an arranger, a film composer, and a record label executive, and outside of music, he's also written books, produced major motion pictures, and helped create television series. In 1963, Jones began exploring what would become a fruitful medium for him when he composed his first film score for Sidney Lumet's controversial drama The Pawnbroker; he would go on to write music for thirty-three feature films. Quincy's has during his career been awarded no less than 26 Grammy Awards.

recently released with a number of commentaries included (tho, alas, none from the ever-and always elusive Mr. Poitier) but it does include a discussion aboutQuincy's qualitative contribution to what made that film stand out so memorably ...

There were also instances where the always-flexible Mr. Jones took an inspired page from Henry Mancini's

musical book and released re-recorded albums based more on the themes than the actual tracks themselves.

I remember there was this cool LP I bought at the same time I collected those great Quincy Jones scores which was a tribute album to Mancini. Some complained it was too "out there" but I thought it was the most innovative interpretations of his work ever! And was one of the few places you could get SOLDIER IN THE RAIN.